Godalming
The town of Godalming is situated among some of the finest countryside in southern England, 4 miles south of Guildford. The town’s shops are centered around the pedestrianised High Street on which the Pepperpot (the former town hall) can be found. Its narrow attractive streets, lined with many ancient and historical buildings lie on well drained land above the river Wey.
Charterhouse school on the north-western edge of the town was founded in 1611 in London and moved to its current site in 1872. The Saxon settlement of Godalming, the name meaning ’of the family or clan of Godhelm’ was first recorded in the will of King Alfred the Great of Wessex, who died in AD 899. William The Conqueror’s Doomsday Book of 1086 records a thriving community with three watermills. Later the number of mills in the area increased to eight and they played an important part in the industrial growth and prosperity of the town.
Godalming is on a main line rail link to London, has good access to the A3 and is surrounded by small villages. There are several beautiful gardens and National Trust attractions such as Busbridge Lakes and Winkworth Arboretum that are well worth a visit.
